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[Review] Jessica Jones Episode 2×06: “Facetime”

Jessica loses her targets and dumps her soaked phone in white rice to try and save the photos on it. Despite perpetuating that myth, she’s about to get some truth dropped on her. Let’s watch her brain melt in Episode Six.

SPOILER WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT
Jeri is playing nice with Inez, even plying her with overpriced clothes and sweets. Our terminally ill lawyer is deeply interested in IGH’s experiments, especially with their reputation for saving people from death. Inez eventually lets slip that there was one patient, a boy, with some sort of healing powers. This is a potentially dangerous turn of events. Up until now, Jeri’s looming mortality has made her a tad more relatable and cooperative. If she believes this healer can save her, I have no doubt she’ll revert to her self-serving nature, doing anything she can to get what she wants even to the detriment of our heroes. Uh-oh.

Malcolm continues to play sidekick super-sleuth as the photos of Dr. Karl reveal he attended Malcolm’s old university. We get a really touching scene of him reconciling with an old girlfriend on campus. Never forgetting that he was an addict who hurt people in his life, he offers a sincere apology that speaks to regret over how things went wrong. Oh, and he quietly lifts her student ID so he can go more info on Dr. Karl. I don’t whether to applaud you or smack you, Malcolm. There is also lip service paid to how he’s always had a thing for Trish, which I don’t feel like I’ve ever noticed much? Am I just forgetting? Either way, they have a very ill-advised yet passionate trip to the bone zone when Trish jumps him.

Trish is acting very out of character because she’s gotten herself solidly addicted to the super-soldier inhaler. Not only is she needing it more often, but she’s wandering the streets at night looking thugs to beat up. She’s basically turning into a ‘roid rage dudebro. Obviously, Malcolm is the best character to potentially help her kick this addiction. But when she threw herself at him, I knew immediately that it was just wrong and bad. Clearly she’s going to get worse before she gets better.

Jessica finds some comfort in the arms of another as well. Seeing that Dr. Karl and Mystery Power Woman are a couple hits her right in the loneliness, so she goes to be with superintendent Oscar. They quickly fall into each other’s arms and roll around in his art supplies, creating a landscape that would make Bob Ross blush. Afterwards, he continues to be quite romantic and kind and Jessica…doesn’t quite know how to handle that. A central question is if Jessica deserves or is even capable of having a healthy, loving relationship. If MPW can do it, can’t she? Yet she also can’t seem to get out of her own way. Poor Jessica.

The investigation itself moves along nicely as we follow the trail of Dr. Karl Malus. Trish and Jessica get some really fun interplay scheming their way into a golf course, where Jessica gets another testimony of the good doctor actually doing wonderful, life-saving work. Is Malus a mad scientist with no regard for the people he hurts or a genius miracle worker? Or both? Maybe we’ll find out soon, as Jessica finally tracks down where he and MPW live. She finds an idyllic suburban home, some evidence of science, and some things she kind of recognizes? A bottle of perfume? A picture of…herself? As a child? As MPW enters peacefully and removes her wig, the truth dawns on us.